Collecting
by Thegone
Summary: When a girl appears in my world, I tend to freak out, Afterall, it isn't every day I see another human. Yet, the girl wants to tell me something, and that thing could lead to my destruction. For CHRIST SAKE it is not a romance story, it is a serious collage and has nothing to do with mob talker
1. Chapter 1

I don't really remember my first days on this... world, I remember a light when I was first... born, born is the right word I guess. I do know this, I'm alone, I'm always alone. I think the first time I heard her was when I was building my castle. I was building the throne room with bright reds and shiny blues when four knocks echoed through the room.

I froze in suprise, it didn't sound like an annoying bash from a zombie, but instead it sounded calm and reserved. I ran towards the door, jumping over the stairs and rolling so I wouldn't get hurt. I turned down the small hallway, the door was right there! I saw something move through it's four holes. It looked like red hair, only I had brown hair, and red hair at that!

I could hear feet scuffing against the ground leaving the door, I poured a swiftness potion down my throat, I could not lose this chance! I reached the door and flung it open, I looked for the person and found no one in the general area. Depressed, I walked back inside at a fast pace.

The second time I was building an air ship high above the ground that you had to climb into a boat and launch yourself out of a river at max speed and land in a floating pool to get into. This time I heard a whistle, it had me in a trance as I listened to its peaceful melody. The melody ended as I jumped into a pillar of water and floated down, this time I saw a creeper, but it was round and was walking backwards away from me.

I pulled out my sword, just in case, and approached it. It had red hair sticking out it's back, something else was that it had shoes and pants. I put two plus two and got five, probably because I had never seen a creeper wear pants. You know I probably shouldn't have put my trap there, you see, I put these jail traps around my houses and important structures. Basically I have these pressure plates that make a hole around the creature that stands on them, the creature usually stands there due to the fact that mobs can't fall off cliffs unless pushed. Whatever this was didn't notice the hole and fell over giving out a girlish scream as she tumbled down into the pool.

I heard the splash and ran over to see the condition of this creature, it definetly wasn't a mob, but could it be a player? Hmmmm... I've never seen a player except for myself, I've heard the testifacites say the word when trading with me, but thats the only thing I've heard about. The pit closed just as the creature surfaced, I quickly ran toward the trapdoor and climbed down it, I heard it's knocks on the iron door I used to keep the things I locked down there trapped.

I got off the ladder and sneaked into view of the door, "C'mon somebody let me out!" It was definietly a she, but the question was, is she hostile? I creeped closer to the door, she noticed me and stopped for a moment, then she started banging even harder. "C'mon let me out!"

I looked her in the eye, she returned the look with an aggravated one. I shuddered at how angry she was and decided maybe I ought to let her cool down, yeah perfect plan. I sat down a cobblestone stair block and sat on it, of course the girl got angry and started yelling again, "Whit, let me out right now!" My heart stopped for a second, how did she know my name Did she stalk me? I tried to put a calm face on, but she knew I was scared, "let me out and I'll tell you all about yourself."

I gulped and flipped the switch, of course she ran out and up the ladder like a frightened cow. I ran after her as fast as I could, I was almost to the girl when she made it to the trapdoor, turns out she was faster with her feet then hands. As soon as she hit solid ground she was off like a firework. I ran all I could but, soon I got too hungry to run any longer.

I growled in frustration as she dissappeared into the sunset, I frowned the day was over I needed to get home.

The next time I found her she was in my hot tub, I had figured that if lava was under glass it would heat anything above it. Turns out my theory was correct and I made a crude 5x5 hot tub. I had been walking toward my first house when I found articles of clothing near my hot tub. Curiously, I remembered the girl from before, it was her clothing, but what was it doing here?

I left the clothing where it lay and walked towards the pool, there sprawled out was the female floating bare and not making any noises. I thought about my options, trap her and demand to know who I am, kill her, or leave her be. I jumped in the water to see if she would react, nothing, I concluded that she was asleep and now would be an easy moment to encage her.

I poked a stick at her, still nothing, deciding she was safe I picked her up and carried her to a flat grassy area. I set her down and started building an obsidian room around her, satisfied I dug underneath her and replaced the floor with obsidian. I had to move her once or twice, then I put a torch in the room and dug out.

I made a roof of glass and a trapdoor so I could reach down and pull her up if needed, she sure was a heavy sleeper, she eventually woke up while I was building a wooden room on top. She kindof stirred before she fully woke up muttering, "mom" and "Whit" and other words I didn't recognize, when she finally woke up I was putting the finishing touches on the room. I heard a scream that made me feel like I was going to lose my ears, I looked down at her, she was trying to cover herself with her arms and legs.

Oh yeah... the clothes, I rushed outside and grabbed the jacket, pants, and some other things I'm not familliar with. Rushing back inside, I threw them down the trapdoor as she greedily put them on. When she was done she looked up at me, "perv!" I just sipped my bucket of milk, I didn't care for a mate, so I really couldn't be a perve. I kicked the trapdoor open and threw a sign down, she read aloud, "I don't know who you are, or what you're doing, but if you know who I am, tell me."

She looked up, "you really don't know who you are, do you?" I shook my head, all I knew was how to survive. "I'm your player" she answered, "you're a character that I created to play as." "But" she continued, "I got sucked into your world and I can't find a way out!" I threw another sign, asking for her name, "it's Saren."

I wanted to run, right then and there, but the name stopped me just as it scared me. It was the name I've had in my head besides my own, I knew the name no matter how long it had been since I last thought about it, I just did.

I stared at the girl, it took me a moment but I eventually reached my hand down, she took it as I pulled her up. She thanked me and said, "now what?" I showed her another sign, "you may stay in my castle if you like." "You can't talk can you" she asked, I shook my head, I can't remember ever using my mouth. "Oh well, as long as you got wood you can talk, right?" I nodded, smiling I walked out the door to be face to face with a creeper.

Oh right, it's night time..., well..., Shit.

I flew backwards as the front of my face sizzled from the heat, I heard Saren call out as I hit the wall. I got up to see an enderman staring Saren down, he was screaming an odd static-like noise as his mouth opened wide. This had to be the day, I mean you have got to be kidding! I walked up behind Saren as she tried her hardest not to blink, I carefully built a cobblestone wall around her, she was holding her eyes open with her fingers by the time I put the final block in. The enderman raged at the fact that it could not get to her, so it turned to me.I reacted quick, though, as soon as it turned to me it found its head falling to the ground.

Notch, I love my diamond sword.

I destroyed the blocks so Saren could climb out and we ran outside, past the zombies and the skellys with their arrows. We made it to the castle without another incident, I shut the doors and put a block of sand in front of both of them. I breathed in, out, in, out, why did the monsters of the night hate me?

I don't hate any mobs, they seem to hate me, especially the ender men. I looked toward Saren, she was holding her head, "usually I don't have to do that, I liked playing this game better."

What?

Saren eyes widened in suprise, "I, uh, um..." I breathed in, out, in, out, I gave her a look, what did she mean by, game? Before I could conjure a sign, she dashed off down the hall. I grimaced, Starting after her I chased her through the throne room, down the kitchen, and up the tower. I panted as I knew she was trapped, I climbed up the last of the stairs and entered the top roof of the tower.

I built the top of the tower were you could exit to the roof and look over everything, there's no guard rails so you really got to be careful where you step. I saw Saren standing facing in towards the rising sun, "you know I know every room in this castle." I didn't know that, but it was intresting to know. "I even know the possition of the pool from here."

...

Oh that's not fair.

Saren grinned as realization hit my face, "bye!" She sprinted in a diagnol direction to my right and leaped, she leaned her body so she flipped upside down and faced me, she waved as she completed the flip and headed towards the pool I had created to relax. I wasn't sure if I hated her, or loved her, but I knew for a fact I wanted answers.

I knew I wouldn't be able to make the jump so I did what I do best, I built. My hand shimmered to be holding a dirt block, I leaped toward the nearest tower. Of course I missed, but I placed a dirt cube on the tower wall and landed. I winced and heard the splash of Saren as she landed successfully, I looked at the pool that was now in jumping length if I could get room to sprint. I put three blocks to make a pole in the direction of the pool, I shook my head to get rid of any fear I had.

I backed up then pushed off at full spead and leaped on the last block, my brain slowed down as I 'flew' down towards the pool. Saren was searching the tower she jumped from for my shape as I fell towards her unknowing form. I fell onto her and wrapped my arms around her waist, I felt an elbow pop me in the nose with a teribble crunch noise as blood started to poor out.

I made a potion of nausua appear in my hand and I forced her to drink it, next I forced a potion of slowness in her too. Soon she started panicking as her movements became wobbly and slow, "Wet le bo!" I carried her out of the pool as she limp from confusion and being in a near coma, I dragged her back down to the little dungeon I had created. I placed her in the stone chair and left the room, locking the iron door behind me.

To hear the song Saren whistled follow this song!

c418 alpha track bandcamp


	2. Chapter 2

"Can you get it online again?" A man turned to his commanding engineer, the man shook his head. "I can't pull Saren out, nor can I send somebody in." The man slammed his fist on his console, "then find a way!"

The man ran his fingers through his hair, he wanted to just punch whatever was in his way, but nooooo, it had to be a big fat puzzle. Of course his captain had to order to collect all the interdimensional Saren's but he didn't say WHY!

I rested on the bed, Saren was still muttering incoheerent, I probably shouldn't have added as much redstone dust to the potion, oh well. I shifted through what I had in my being. Three nausea potions, two splash potions of healing and harming each, five potions of slowing, a potion of regeneration, a potion of swiftness, two full sets of cobblestone, a full set of diamond tools except a hoe, a wooden hoe, twenty sticks, nine signs, two bows, three sets of arrows, and fifteen bars of iron.

I sighed, I could hear Saren's bumbling words getting louder, I was regretting trying to sleep in the same room. I looked at her limp form, she was still, except for her arms which were flailing about. Her mouth drooled as she tried to call for help, I was starting to wonder if she would ever become normal.

I eventually fell asleep, it was an odd dream. I was sitting in my throne room, well it was more like floating as if I wasn't there. Saren and two other men were standing there one men had on a dirty blue hoody, his brown hair covered his eyes as he looked on at the other two people in the meeting emotionally. The other person had a shaggy beard and looked like he could take down the legendary enderdragon with his bare hands.

His face was stern and he was yelling at Saren and the blue hoody person at full volume. "I don't care what you say, just get us out of here!" Saren tried to calm the man down, "listen, if I remember correctly, we should be able to escape through the end!"

The blue hoody gave a questioning look to Saren, his hand shimmered until he held a sign was in his hand. The sign was plopped down to read something I couldn't see. Saren started to say something before I woke up.

The reason to my awakening was Saren was yelling at me now, I opened my eyes to a slit. She was standing at the bars and trying to get me to "WAKE UP!" I rolled over and fell to the ground, I did a push-up to get off the ground and was face to face with Saren. She was gripping the bars of her cell, she waved towards the lever to open the door. I put down a sign that read, "what did you mean earlier?" "I can't tell you" she replied, "we just need to make it to the end."

"What" Saren asked as she noticed my suprise.

I placed down another sign, "you said that in a dream I had a couple seconds ago." She raised an eyebrow and shook her head, "probably just deja vu." I put down another sign, "I'll assist you as long as I can come." "Good" Saren smirked, "I came to find you, but why do you want come?" I made an airy laughed and made another sign, "I've lived for too long, I need to get away from this world and see other things."

I grabbed the signs and flipped the switch, Saren came out and held her hand out to me. I shook it as a sign of partnership, we started walking out the door to the throne room. I made it to the top step and heard a boom shake me to my core, I rushed into the room to see a man looking around his surroundings. It was the man from his dream, gray shirt and everything.

The man saw me right away and started walking toward me and shouting, "OI, you, have you seen a girl wearing some kind of camoflauge thing that has a face..." The man's strong face softened all of the sudden, "Saren!" The man started rushing toward me, I went on flight mode and dodged to my right. The man reached for where I was standing and pulled Saren from her spot into a deep hug.

"Saren" the man yelled, "Oh thank god you're allright!" The man started squeezing her in a tight embrace, I heard several pops as she said, "I.. missed... you too..." The man finally put her down, "so where's the man you came in to find?" Saren gasped for breath and pointed my way, the man turned to me.

"Him, sister! he looks like a wimp!" Saren put her hand on his shoulder, "don't anger him, you don't want to see what he can do." "As if" This man was starting to annoy me, "c'mon put em up." The man put a few fist jabs inches from my nose, well if he wants to see...

I put down two cobblestone blocks down infront of me, I heard a crunch and a growl of frustration. I quickly donned on my armor and got out my shovel, I didn't want to kill him but I did want to NOT die. I heard his footsteps come around and swung my shovel. The satifying klang vibrated my arm, I smiled and lifted the shovel back to see the man growling at me. "That was not VERY NICE!"

I felt arms grab around me and chuck me onto the throne, I rolled to the left as the thug stomped where I had been. I got up and ran down to my lab with the frequent laughs from that man. I ran in and grabbed six glass bottles with awkward potions in them, shoving all six of them in brewing stands I turned to the chest and grabbed two glowing melons. I was about to grab more items from the chest when I felt a fist slam into my right cheek.

I fell over and looked up at the man, he smiled at me and picked me up by the neck of my shirt. "Your worthless" I half expected him to spit in my face, "I don't know why I bothored letting my sister try to find you!" I measured the height of how high I was, a full block up off the ground, perfect. I let my hand shimmer to find a splash potion of harming there,

Then I let it drop.

The breaking of glass could be heard as the man cried out in pain. I fell to the floor as the man collapsed in pain, I looked over him, taking out my sword I held it over his throat just. in case...

"Stop it" I felt a hand on my shoulder, "Whit, just let him be!" I looked behind me to see Saren, she looked like she was going to cry, as if I would kill a relative to her. The sword shimmered away as I went back to replacing my potions, I replaced the splash potion of harming I used, made two splash potions of swiftness, and five splash potions of regeneration, I added extra glow stone dust to the regeneration potions.

The man finally got up as I offered him some bread, he took it and bit into it greedily. His wounds started to fade away as he sat and breathed slowly, Saren informed me his name was Micheal and that he was her brother. "I'm still stronger than him" Micheal bragged, I simply reached in a chest and pulled out a splash potion of weakning.

Saren panicked as she recognized the potion, "Whit, please, he just has to keep a sense of pride, ok!?" I gave her a look that said, "only if you say so." Eventually Micheal got up and we walked to the throne room, of course then I realized the same scene from my dream played out.

We got to the part where I layed a sign to ask Saren what was in the End. "Well Endermen, and the Enderdragon, I know you found the stronghold, you just haven't jumped in the portal." Of course I have discovered the stronghold, and I did manage to find the portal and complete it, bloody enderman. I was going to go in eventually, but first I wanted to get prepared for what was in there.

Turns out I never remembered to go back, but I did remember where it was. I had the smart idea once, I realized the eyes of enders were leading somewhere, to create a minerail track to where ever it was I would be going. I had powered it with pressure plates on the minerail and then a powered minerail after that.

After telling Saren I'd be right back, I went to my supply room and got everything I needed, diamonds, iron, wood, cobblestone, sand, ladders, tools of every type, seeds, dirt, buckets of water and lava, redstone blocks, glass bottles, and every type of thing I needed for brewing.

I met Saren and Micheal in the throne room where they made silent conversation, I signaled for them to follow me out of the room and towards a small pasture. In it was a chest with a long minerail as far as the eye could see, at least before the mysterious fog blocked it. I opened the chest and took three minecarts and placed them on the track.

After convincing Saren and her brother to get in the minecart's toward the front, I got behind mine and started pushing. After pushing a good while, or atleast until I saw the powered rails, I jumped in and relaxed. I couldn't speak to Saren and Micheal at this speed since any signs I placed down would be passed by to fast, so I just enjoyed the tiny roller coaster.

Eventually we all saw a couple of red torches, signaling that we would arive at the stronghold. I saw a hole and braced myself, the track dipped down and started spinning downwards, like I was being sucked into a whirlpool. Afterwords we found ourselves going in a straight direction around a lava pool that had the vase like blocks that had crystal eyes in them. I got out the cart and walked up the stairs.

I looked over the starry space that was emptingly staring back at me, I took out a block of dirt and dropped it into the vast emptiness. I heard Saren say, "just jump in already!" I gave her my usual empty glare, I then slowly put my foot on the portal. The black veil snaked up my leg causing me to panic, I tried to lift my leg as it pulled harder. I grabbed onto Saren for support, but she only fell onto it with her left hand.

I tried to break free as Saren's brother grabbed onto her legs and tried to pull her away from the darkness' grasp. I conjured a sword and tried to cut the darkness off from my leg, it worked but the darkness already attached to me continued to spread. I watched helplessly as it infect the rest of me and I fell into never-ending darkness.

When I awoke I was in some place really dark, I placed down a torch and found that I was in a room where the walls were a kindof yellow-green mixture. The floor was made of obsidian, infact Micheal and Saren laid on the floor sleeping. I could fell IT though, and it scared me. I quickly shook Saren and Micheal to wake them up, I was successful and made a shushing noise. I quickly walked up to one of the walls and struck it with my diamond pick. A block of the wall succumbed to my pick, after a few swings I made a tight staircase to the surface of this place.

It was dark, yet it was bright enough to see even though we didn't have a light source that I could see of. There was no moon, sun, stars, or any celestial body that I could see. The sky was completely black, but I could see all the tall black towers that were home to some kind of crystal. Endermen were every where so I made sure I put my hood on so I wouldn't look at their eyes. The endermen screeched in fear and teleported away in fear. I looked around for the source of their fear, and found it inches from my eyes.

The legendary Enderdragon.


	3. Chapter 3

I jumped at the last moment and landed on his snout, it yelled in outrage as I stabbed it in the eye. We flew up as it used it's other eye to navigate toward the crystals on the towers. The crystals shot beams of light at the dragon and his eye healed to a glowing purple. He opened his mouth, flinging me in the air, I landed on his tail and grabbed on as he tried to shake me off.

He succeded, as I fell through the air I aimed my bow at the crystal and let the arrow fly, it struck and exploded. "Whit" Saren yelled from below, "above you!" I shifted my spine to see the Enderdragon diving toward me, I flung three arrows toward it's snout. They collided as he screeched in pain, he slammed into me making my descent to the ground much faster. I started slicing his nose as the ground rushed toward me like I was a corrupt firework.

My body screamed in pain as it collided into the ground, I was picked up in his teeth and tossed to the side. I flew through the air and skidded along the ground, I got up and looked to see the Enderdragon fightining Micheal. Micheal smacked his fist across it's face causing it to be suprised. The king of the End swiped his front hand at Micheal causing him to collide with me.

Micheal got off me, we both rushed back to see Saren running from the dragon. It bit her hoodie and lifted her off the ground, I pulled out my bow only to have it taken out of my hand. "Are you crazy, you might shoot her!" Micheal handed the bow back to me as I traded it for a set of ladders, I ran to the nearest tower and started climbing up it. Micheal followed close behind me, we were almost to the top when the dragon flew by and raked his claws along the wall. He cut off the ladder I was on and grabbed on to my back. I yelped in pain as the claw went through my stomach and out my front.

I could see Saren dangling by the back of her hoodie, she threw up as she saw the claw ripped through my jacket. I cut the foot off the dragon that had me and fell to the ground, I rolled due to the momentum and some how got the claw out of me. I laid there, I could hardly lift a finger, let alone get up. I looked at the hole in my stomach and coughed up any blood that wasn't being spilled out. The hole had to be at least half a foot wide, I could see my intestines spilled out across the odd stone.

I gave up, there was no way I could beat it, I think I'll just go to sleep. And so I did, I closed my eyes and passed out.

Get up, it was a rough voice

Why?

Because you told Saren you'd help her.

How, I can hardly hurt it.

And?

I'm dying, it's impossible to beat without being a god.

I beat it.

Well, your just a figmant of my dying mind's imagination.

Am I?

Yes, now go away I'm trying to sleep!

Or are you trying to die?

I don't- wait who are you?

I'm the first character, the first, the last, and the one that never exists.

What does that even mean?

You'll find out some day, but now you need to rescue her, go Whit!

I coughed up more blood, I needed to remember what to do, I drank a potion of regeneration. I watched as the hole sealed up, I sat up and coughed more blood. I stood up weakly and took out my sword, then I ran toward the the tower I fell from. I climbed up it and found Micheal missing. I finished the ladder and found Micheal at the top, he looked beat up and he had blood flowing from his head. I threw a flash potion of instant health at him and he opened his eyes.

"Where is it" he sounded scared, like a child running from an imaginary monster. I helped him stand up and looked for the Enderdragon. I'm glad I looked or I would have had a hole in my stomach again, the Enderdragon swooped by, I stuck my sword in it's belly and held on as the sword stuck into it's rough scales. I grabbed onto a nearby leg and pulled the sword out, then I stabbed it.

Reapediatly.

I held on for dear life as the Dragon gave a final roar and started to shine brightly. I climbed to the top of the dragon then crawled over to the snout. I was about to see if I could reach Saren when the Enderdragon dissappeard right before my eyes. I saw Saren once it was gone, but since it was gone I needed to worry about other things. Like how was I going to survive falling over 50 feet?

I held Saren above me, if I landed first she'd survive and I'd die, but before I hit the ground, I felt something grab onto my foot. I looked down, or up since I was upside down, and saw Micheal holding onto my foot.

After convincing Micheal I wasn't trying to kiss his sister, we all gathered around a bedrock fountain, on top was a black egg. I tried to take the egg but it teleported away, I chased after it until it finally succombed to my punch. I went back to the fountaind and climbed up it. I looked at the other two...

Then I jumped.

It was more like water this time, and it rippled as I sank into it. I didn't know where I was but I knew I could hear someone.

I see the player you mean

Whitfooot2?

Yes. Take care. It has reached a higher level now. It can read our thoughts.

That doesn't matter. It thinks we are part of the game

I like this player. It played well. It did not give up.

It is reading our thoughts as though they were words on a screen.

That is how it chooses to imagine many things, when it is deep in the dream of a game.

Words make a wonderful interface. Very flexible. And less terrifying than staring at the reality behind the screen.

They used to hear voices. Before players could read. Back in the days when those who did not play called the players witches, and warlocks. And players dreamed they flew through the air, on sticks powered by demons.

What did this player dream?

This player dreamed of sunlight and trees. Of fire and water. It dreamed it created. And it dreamed it destroyed. It dreamed it hunted, and was hunted. It dreamed of shelter.

Hah, the original interface. A million years old, and it still works. But what true structure did this player create, in the reality behind the screen?

It worked, with a million others, to sculpt a true world in a fold of the [scrambled], and created a [scrambled] for [scrambled], in the [scrambled].

It cannot read that thought.

No. It has not yet achieved the highest level. That, it must achieve in the long dream of life, not the short dream of a game.

Does it know that we love it? That the universe is kind?

Sometimes, through the noise of its thoughts, it hears the universe, yes.

But there are times it is sad, in the long dream. It creates worlds that have no summer, and it shivers under a black sun, and it takes its sad creation for reality.

To cure it of sorrow would destroy it. The sorrow is part of its own private task. We cannot interfere.

Sometimes when they are deep in dreams, I want to tell them, they are building true worlds in reality. Sometimes I want to tell them of their importance to the universe. Sometimes, when they have not made a true connection in a while, I want to help them to speak the word they fear.

It reads our thoughts.

Sometimes I do not care. Sometimes I wish to tell them, this world you take for truth is merely [scrambled] and [scrambled], I wish to tell them that they are [scrambled] in the [scrambled]. They see so little of reality, in their long dream.

And yet they play the game.

But it would be so easy to tell them…

Too strong for this dream. To tell them how to live is to prevent them living.

I will not tell the player how to live.

The player is growing restless.

I will tell the player a story.

But not the truth.

No. A story that contains the truth safely, in a cage of words. Not the naked truth that can burn over any distance.

Give it a body, again.

Yes. Player…

Use its name.

Whitfooot2 Player of games.

Good.

Take a breath, now. Take another. Feel air in your lungs. Let your limbs return. Yes, move your fingers. Have a body again, under gravity, in air. Respawn in the long dream. There you are. Your body touching the universe again at every point, as though you were separate things. As though we were separate things.

Who are we? Once we were called the spirit of the mountain. Father sun, mother moon. Ancestral spirits, animal spirits. Jinn. Ghosts. The green man. Then gods, demons. Angels. Poltergeists. Aliens, extraterrestrials. Leptons, quarks. The words change. We do not change.

We are the universe. We are everything you think isn't you. You are looking at us now, through your skin and your eyes. And why does the universe touch your skin, and throw light on you? To see you, player. To know you. And to be known. I shall tell you a story.

Once upon a time, there was a player.

The player was you, Whitfooot2.

Sometimes it thought itself human, on the thin crust of a spinning globe of molten rock. The ball of molten rock circled a ball of blazing gas that was three hundred and thirty thousand times more massive than it. They were so far apart that light took eight minutes to cross the gap. The light was information from a star, and it could burn your skin from a hundred and fifty million kilometres away.

Sometimes the player dreamed it was a miner, on the surface of a world that was flat, and infinite. The sun was a square of white. The days were short; there was much to do; and death was a temporary inconvenience.

Sometimes the player dreamed it was lost in a story.

Sometimes the player dreamed it was other things, in other places. Sometimes these dreams were disturbing. Sometimes very beautiful indeed. Sometimes the player woke from one dream into another, then woke from that into a third.

Sometimes the player dreamed it watched words on a screen.

Let's go back.

The atoms of the player were scattered in the grass, in the rivers, in the air, in the ground. A woman gathered the atoms; she drank and ate and inhaled; and the woman assembled the player, in her body.

And the player awoke, from the warm, dark world of its mother's body, into the long dream.

And the player was a new story, never told before, written in letters of DNA. And the player was a new program, never run before, generated by a sourcecode a billion years old. And the player was a new human, never alive before, made from nothing but milk and love.

You are the player. The story. The program. The human. Made from nothing but milk and love.

Let's go further back.

The seven billion billion billion atoms of the player's body were created, long before this game, in the heart of a star. So the player, too, is information from a star. And the player moves through a story, which is a forest of information planted by a man called Julian, on a flat, infinite world created by a man called Markus, that exists inside a small, private world created by the player, who inhabits a universe created by…

Shush. Sometimes the player created a small, private world that was soft and warm and simple. Sometimes hard, and cold, and complicated. Sometimes it built a model of the universe in its head; flecks of energy, moving through vast empty spaces. Sometimes it called those flecks "electrons" and "protons".

Sometimes it called them "planets" and "stars".

Sometimes it believed it was in a universe that was made of energy that was made of offs and ons; zeros and ones; lines of code. Sometimes it believed it was playing a game. Sometimes it believed it was reading words on a screen.

You are the player, reading words…

Shush… Sometimes the player read lines of code on a screen. Decoded them into words; decoded words into meaning; decoded meaning into feelings, emotions, theories, ideas, and the player started to breathe faster and deeper and realised it was alive, it was alive, those thousand deaths had not been real, the player was alive

You. You. You are alive.

and sometimes the player believed the universe had spoken to it through the sunlight that came through the shuffling leaves of the summer trees

and sometimes the player believed the universe had spoken to it through the light that fell from the crisp night sky of winter, where a fleck of light in the corner of the player's eye might be a star a million times as massive as the sun, boiling its planets to plasma in order to be visible for a moment to the player, walking home at the far side of the universe, suddenly smelling food, almost at the familiar door, about to dream again

and sometimes the player believed the universe had spoken to it through the zeros and ones, through the electricity of the world, through the scrolling words on a screen at the end of a dream

and the universe said I love you

and the universe said you have played the game well

and the universe said everything you need is within you

and the universe said you are stronger than you know

and the universe said you are the daylight

and the universe said you are the night

and the universe said the darkness you fight is within you

and the universe said the light you seek is within you

and the universe said you are not alone

and the universe said you are not separate from every other thing

and the universe said you are the universe tasting itself, talking to itself, reading its own code

and the universe said I love you because you are love.

And the game was over and the player woke up from the dream. And the player began a new dream. And the player dreamed again, dreamed better. And the player was the universe. And the player was love.

You are the player.

Wake up.


End file.
